


Understanding

by losingmyangelgrace



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Future Fic, Kidnapping, M/M, Mythical Creature
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-18
Updated: 2014-01-18
Packaged: 2018-01-09 04:55:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1141686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/losingmyangelgrace/pseuds/losingmyangelgrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles and Derek were on a date, there third to be exact, and it was fancy date too. Dinner in the next town over, Stiles was wearing a waist coat, that’s how classy the restaurant was. And he was enjoying himself. When Derek had asked him out the first time, Stiles had been a little dumbfounded, sure he’d known that there was something between them but he’d never thought either of them would <i>act</i> on it. But there they were two weeks and many lovely kisses later sitting opposite one another, the soft mood lights reflecting the many colours in Derek’s eyes and making Stiles’ stomach flip.</p><p>They’d just ordered their appetizers so of course that was then the shit hit the fan. Of course it was.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Understanding

**Author's Note:**

> un-beta'd, all mistakes are my own, feel free to point any out at the end :)

Stiles and Derek were on a date, there third to be exact, and it was fancy date too. Dinner in the next town over, Stiles was wearing a waist coat, that’s how classy the restaurant was. And he was enjoying himself. When Derek had asked him out the first time, Stiles had been a little dumbfounded, sure he’d known that there was something between them but he’d never thought either of them would _act_ on it. But there they were two weeks and many lovely kisses later sitting opposite one another, the soft mood lights reflecting the many colours in Derek’s eyes and making Stiles’ stomach flip.

They’d just ordered their appetizers so of course that was then the shit hit the fan. Of course it was. 

Stiles’ phone rang, and he glanced at the caller ID before doing a double take when he realized that it was Isaac. Isaac, who knew not to call unless it was a life or death situation,. “What’s the matter?” Stiles asked by way of greeting.

“You know the Leshy who lives on the west side of the preserve,” Isaac panted, like he had been running really fast for a large distance.

“Yeah,” Stiles frowned, looking across at Derek and seeing the expression mirrored on his boyfriend’s face. 

“Well we were out on patrol and Erica…he took her.”

“That’s against our treaty with him,” Derek growled, standing and leaving a couple of bills on the table, gesturing for Stiles to follow. He did, taking Derek’s hand as they both hurried back to the Camaro while Isaac explained what had happened. 

With a promise that they’d be there as soon as possible Stiles hung up as Derek pulled out onto the road, driving quickly out of town. “What do we actually know about Leshys?”

“They protect forests. You know last year when they were trying to cut down the diseased trees on the outside of the preserve? Before they started work all of the machines mysteriously stopped working because one fault or another. That was him. The next day all of the trees were perfectly healthy. They can also shape shift, imitate voices and to kill people they er…they tickle them to death.”

“They tickle them to death?” Derek repeated. He should have sounded amused but the Leshy had Erica, and his voice was flat, grim.

“Basically…yeah. They’re not evil, just mischievous. They enjoy messing with humans and kidnapping young woman.”

“And how do we get Erica back?”

“I don’t know, no one really knows much about them. The Bestiary contains about two paragraphs on Leshys, maximum,” Stiles sighed.

“Well, how do we reason with it?” Derek questioned.

“I don’t know.” 

“How do we kill it? You at least have to know that.”

“I don’t know, Derek!” Stiles exclaimed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger.

“Well then, what else do you know about them?” Derek asked softly, reaching across the centre console and taking Stiles’ hand in his, squeezing gently. 

It was a testament really, to how far they’d come. When Stiles’ was still in high school Derek would have been slamming his head off of the passenger side window right now, snarling at him but instead, two years after graduation, Derek was comforting him. Holding his hand and gently trying to coax answers out of Stiles instead of shouting and using violence. It gave Stiles strength. 

“There are lots of accounts of Leshys being seen with grey wolves. Wolves are their allies I guess,” he shrugged, biting his lip, “they protect the forest together, share territory. I think that’s why he decided to share the preserve with us so easily, because you guys are werewolves. I think that might be why he took Erica, she’s a young woman but a wolf as well, an ally.”

“So you’re saying that he wants to mate with her?” Derek queried, his eyes flicking from the road to momentarily look at Stiles. He looked troubled, and Stiles didn’t blame him.

“Pretty much, yeah,” Stiles winced. 

The remainder of the journey was silent, both men brooding over the situation at hand. The number of threats Beacon Hill’s faced had seriously lowered since Stiles had worked his magic on the Nemeton, taking its power and dispelling it into the surrounding forest. It was part of the pact with the Leshy, helped to win it’s allegiance by showing an act of kindness to its home. 

When they arrived at the rebuilt Hale house - set further back from the old one, an oak sapling now standing where the dilapidated remains had been - it stood in front of them, almost imposing, like their very home was angry over one its inhabitants being taken.

Before they got out of the car, Stiles placed a hand on the back of Derek’s neck and pulled him forward, resting their foreheads together. “We’ll get her back,” he murmured, rubbing his nose against Derek’s, “Do you want to know why I know we’ll get her back?”

“Yes,” Derek breathed, his hands rose, cupping Stiles’ face gently.

“Because I believe we will,” Stiles whispered into the small space between their lips. He wanted to press into that space, be close to Derek in ways that they were barely beginning to explore but now was not the time. So, wistfully, Stiles pulled back and exited the car, knowing that Derek would follow.

It was absolute pandemonium inside of the house. Boyd had been chained up in the cellar to stop him from doing something rash. Scott, Cora and Isaac were arguing over the noise of Boyd’s roars, shouting about the best course of attack. Allison was sitting on the sofa sharpening her knifes and exuding a general aura of ‘I will cut anyone who gets close enough’, while Lydia talked the twins down from joining in Scott, Cora and Isaac’s screaming match. 

Stiles stood next to Derek and watched for a minute before Derek let out a guttural roar and room fell into a still silence. Everyone stood and watched the Alpha, Derek holding their attention easily. 

With a weary voice he began to speak, “We know where the Leshy’s caves are, he hasn’t left the territory or Stiles would have felt it. That means we know where Erica is. We go in and we take her back with as little bloodshed as possible, okay?” 

There were murmurs of assent all round, it wasn’t much of a plan but time had taught them that their plans, in general, went down the drain when they were put into action. It was much easier for them to have an overall goal and just go with the flow during the actual show down. To work as the cohesive unit they were rather then try and hammer out every last detail. 

So they left as soon as Derek had finished talking, all of them – apart from Boyd, it was safer to leave him behind - slipping out of the back door and jogging quickly through the dark. The only light was the glow of the ‘wolves eyes; red, blue and yellow reflecting all around.

It took twenty minutes to reach the clearing where the caves were and they were greeted by the Leshy, standing nine feet tall in the half-moons light. His skin glowed blue, two large horns protruding from his forehead, his beard and hair green, living vines. In his hand was a whip, long and wicked looking. The pack stood in the loose semi-circle around him, Stiles and Derek standing together at the top of the arc. 

“You know why we’re here,” Derek said, his voice steady. 

“We don’t want to fight you. Ryebina,” Stiles addressed the Leshy by name, “just give us Erica back and we’ll walk away from this. No one needs to get hurt.” 

“She’s mine for now,” the Leshy rumbled, his voice deep, sounding like rock grating against rock.

“No she’s not,” Derek told him, “and she never will be. Erica already has a mate, she can’t be yours.” 

“You don’t think I know that! I don’t want a _mate_ ,” Ryebina spat at them, “I had a mate, a Leshachikha, but she was taken from me years before you were even born!”

“That doesn’t give you the _right_ to take someone just because you feel like it!” Derek shouted, his temper beginning to show. 

“Alpha, you of all people should understand.”

“Understand what?” Stiles asked, frowning, he turned to the Alpha, taking in his blank expression “Derek?”

“Give her back,” Derek growled, instead of answering Stiles.

“Not yet,” the Leshy hissed before throwing out the arm that held the whip. The end wrapped itself around Derek’s throat, bringing him to his knees, his hands clutching the cord, trying to pull it off as he choked. The rest of the pack went wild. The ‘wolves attacked, emitting ear splitting roars, Allison throwing her knives, aiming for the Leshy’s head. 

Stiles moved around the brawl with Lydia at his side, ducking as Aiden was thrown over there heads. They stood at the caves mouth and he created a little ball of light and willed it to lead the way to Erica. It began to move, drifting a head of them at shoulder height, casting long shadows in the darkness. It was an eerie thing to witness. 

“What do you think we’ll find?” Lydia whispered, despite treading lightly their footsteps still echoed loudly. 

“I don’t know,” Stiles replied, trying not to fear the worst. 

They soon left the sound of the fighting far behind, the path they were walking beginning to descend. After a time, it could have been an hour or a minute for all Stiles knew, a soft light appeared ahead and Stiles snuffed out his own little ball of luminescence. Creeping forward, barely even breathing, Stiles reached a large cavern and gasped at what he saw. 

The entire space was lit by candles, in one corner was a large bed, in another was what appeared to be three roughly carved chairs and a matching table but what shocked Stiles was Erica, who waved cheerfully at him before going back to turning what looked like a rabbit on a spit sitting over an open fire. In the corner of his mind Stiles wondered where the smoke was going but he pushed the thought away staring at the blonde ‘wolf before him. 

“Erica, you’re alive?” he gasped.

“Yeah,” she smiled, glancing up at them, “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“But the Leshy!” Lydia exclaimed, “He- He _kidnapped_ you! Boyd’s frantic and you’re sitting there cooking him dinner!” 

“Well yeah, Ryebina’s a sweetie. It’s the least I could do for him and Boyd’ll be fine.”

Had she been brainwashed? 

“Have you been brainwashed?!” Stiles exclaimed, “The rest of the pack’s out there fighting because you were _taken_ and Ryebina was talking about how you’re his and he got Derek around the throat with that godforsaken whip and the chances are they’re gonna kill him for attacking the Alpha!” 

“Shit!” Erica didn’t say anything else before running off, flying past them and disappearing into the cave Stiles and Lydia had just traversed.

“For fuck’s sake,” Stiles muttered before grabbing Lydia’s wrist and taking off after her. 

By the time they reached the clearing again the pack had backed off and Erica was standing over the fallen, but breathing, Leshy, his blue blood shining. “Just stop, okay!” Erica growled, “He wasn’t being malicious. Yes, he kidnapped me, but not because he’s evil, not for kicks but because…” she seemed to sag then, her shoulder’s coming down and her head dropping. “But because he’s lonely.” 

Stiles felt a chill, they all knew what it was like to feel alone. It was a horrible thing to go through and they were attacking someone who’d just wanted a little company. He looked over at Derek, the mark of the whip just fading from his throat, and winced when he saw how stricken his Alpha looked.

“Are you okay down there Ryebina?” Erica asked.

“I will heal Miss Erica,” he croaked, “I must say, your pack is very protective. I enjoyed your company but I will understand if you leave.”

“Thank you,” she smiled down at him, “But I’ll come back tomorrow, with those cookies I was telling you about and tea. Then you can continue telling me stories about the old country.” She held a hand out to him and helped the hulking Leshy from the floor, before glaring at each member of the pack in turn, daring them to challenge her.

Derek stepped forward, “Ryebina I extend my most profound apologises. We mistook the situation and for that I’m sorry.”

“Think nothing of it Alpha Hale. I am an old man, I would not carry a whip if I had not had tougher adversary’s then a pack of werewolves. I admit I enjoyed the fight, you worked together well, I was impressed. Perhaps you too would like to join Miss Erica here and take tea with me. Your mate too,” he inclined his head to Stiles, “there are many secrets I can teach him about the forest and magic, just like I taught his mother before him.”

Stiles nodded to Derek, trying to keep his emotions in check, and the ‘wolf took another step forward, nodding his head, “We’d like that, thank you.”

Seemingly satisfied Ryebina dipped his head to kiss Erica on both cheeks before limping back to the mouth of his cave. He stopped next to Stiles, looking down at him, “You look just like her. She would be happy knowing that I will be teaching you. Claudia, she spoke of you often during her visits here but, alas, even I could not save her and for that I am truly sorry.” 

“It’s-” Stiles swallowed, his throat thick, “It’s fine.”

He then kissed both of Stiles’ cheeks, like he had with Erica’s, before disappearing into the darkness of his home. 

Stiles swayed, his legs suddenly weak, breath punched out of him. He felt he was going to collapse, his mind reeling. But then Derek was there, just like he always was, wrapping an arm around Stiles’ waist and pulling him against his side. Supporting him. 

“He knew my mom,” Stiles croaked. “He knew my mom.” 

“We’ll come back tomorrow,” Derek said softly, “You should ask him about her.”

“Yeah, I er- I think I will.”

“Back to the house?”

“Please.” 

Still with his arm around Stiles, Derek led the pack from the clearing. Stiles leant on him the whole time, letting himself check out for a moment and really think about what had happened. The Leshy had known his mom, could tell him about a whole side of her no one else knew about, and even if Stiles couldn’t actually discuss magic with her, he could talk to her tutor. The idea of having that new-found closeness with her was mind blowing. 

When they finally arrived at house everyone split off, a few leaving, others disappearing into their respective bedrooms and Erica immediately going to the basement. The overall mood was sombre, understandable considering what had happened. 

Derek and Stiles ended up in the kitchen, Stiles sitting at the breakfast bar and Derek pottering around, pulling tins of something and bread out of the cupboard. It wasn’t long before he placed a bowl of steaming tomato soup in front of Stiles with a couple of buttered slices of bread on the side. 

After a few mouthfuls Stiles grinned weakly, “Not really what I had in mind for a third date.” 

“There was definitely less maiming of innocent supernatural creatures in my mind when I booked the reservations, that’s for sure,” Derek sighed before dipping a slice of bread into his own bowl.

“Don’t feel too bad. We didn’t know the circumstances and Ryebina didn’t die, that’s a plus,” Stiles tried to reassure. 

“I just wish I’d known, the whole night could have been averted because I do understand. I know what it’s like to feel completely alone.” Derek’s eyes were so sad, Stiles heart ached. 

“Hey,” he placed his spoon down and reached across, intertwining their fingers, “we all do, and we know how he feels now. What happened tonight isn’t going to happen again.”

“Yeah, I guess so,” the corner of Derek’s mouth turned up in a hint of a smile before his squeezed Stiles’ fingers and continued eating.

A few minutes of quiet passed and Stiles decided to address another thing that the Leshy had said. “So, mates huh? When were you gonna run that one by me?”

“Uh…never.”

“Why not?”

“I didn’t want you to feel compelled to be with me,” he shrugged. “I don’t want you to feel tied here. If you ever wanted to leave I’d let you go, but you’ll always have a place in my pack.” 

“Well I’ll be going back to Berkeley in the fall, but I think we can manage. I’ll only be an hour away,” he grinned.

“Hmm, I don’t know if I can cope with that kind of commitment,” Derek teased.

“Fuck you, you like me Derek Hale. You want to be with me _forever_.”

“Honestly Stiles, it’s only the third date and you’re talking about forever. That’s just too much for such an early stage in our relationship,” he smirked.

“You’re such an ass,” Stiles muttered, shaking his head.

“I don’t deny it, babe.”

“Babe? Really?”

“Just testing it out,” Derek shrugged, his eyes glinting with mirth. His mood had done such a one eighty and Stiles had done that, he felt proud, knowing that _he_ could make Derek feel better.

With a roll of his eyes Stiles went back to his meal. Sure it wasn’t the date they’d had planned but they were still spending time _together_ , so despite the fact that they were sitting in the kitchen of the Hale house and not in a high-end restaurant, it was great. 

Once they’d finished and the dishes had been cleaned Stiles rested his head on Derek’s chest and wrapped his arms around the ‘wolfs waist, enjoying the very warmth that Derek exuded.

“You look really good by the way, I like the waistcoat,” Derek murmured.

“I know you do,” Stiles grinned, “When I got into the car you actually stumbled over your speech.”

“I did not.” 

“Whatever you say Derek, whatever you _say_ ,” he snorted.

There was a beat of silence before-

“And you’re really not bothered about the mates thing?” Derek’s voice sounded so vulnerable, Stiles couldn’t find it anything else but endearing. 

“No.” Stiles knew that Derek would be able to hear if he was lying and was gratified when Derek held him even tighter, accepting the truth of that one word. “You want me to stay tonight?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’d like that,” Derek murmured, turning his head to kiss Stiles’ temple before taking Stiles’ hand and leading him upstairs. 

Stiles had his own room but tonight was different and he wasn’t surprised when Derek didn’t stop at his door, instead continuing down the hall to his own bedroom. The room was dark, Derek didn’t turn on any lights, instead leading Stiles over to the bed and pushing him down into a sitting position before crossing the room to rummage through his chest of draws. 

A soft t-shirt was pushed into Stiles’ hands shortly after and he made quick work of stripping himself down, leaving his own clothes in a pile on the floor. 

The bed was cold but almost as soon as he’d slipped under the covers Derek was there, drawing Stiles against him, his strong arms around Stiles’ waist, their legs intertwined. Stiles rested his head on Derek’s shoulder and sighed happily. He felt content after such a stressful night. 

“Your dad’s not gonna turn up in the morning toting a shotgun is he?” Derek asked in the darkness.

“No, he was shocked when I told him we’d finally started dating. Thought we’d been going at it for years.”

Derek’s chest shook underneath him as the ‘wolf let out a warm chuckle before cupping Stiles’ chin and tilting his head too slot their lips together. It was a languid kiss, slow but firm, their tongues gently pressing against one another’s. It was safe and it was warm, everything Stiles could wish for after staring death in the face so many times, too many times. It was something Stiles knew he would crave but could have for as long as he wanted. For forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Woo, you made it :D Thanks for reading! 
> 
> I got all of my information about Leshys off of Wikipedia, so if you're interested go and check the page out, they actually sound like pretty nifty creatures, like they tell animals and birds when to migrate and stuff, and if you befriend them they'll teach you magic, like Ryebina did with Claudia. 
> 
> For those interested Ryebina means Rowan in Russian (according to google translate), since he was a creature of the forest I wanted him to have a woodland type name :)
> 
> So yeah, let me know what you think and I'm sorry if there's any mistakes, but definitely feel free to leave comments and kudos and such :D Thanks again!
> 
> tumblr: **ohbonesmybones.tumblr.com**


End file.
